Improvement in machines for pressing cloth



2 SheetsSheet 1.

E. GESSNER. Machine for Pressing 010th.

INVENTGB ATTORNEYS.

No. 206,718. Patented Aug. 6.1878.

WITNESSES: 6

N. PETERS, PNDTD-LITHOGRAFHER wAsnmuTom c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. GESSNER. Machine for Pressing 010th.

No. 206 318 Patented Aug. 6, I878.

WITNESSES: g INVENTGB 147 @a@ ATTORNEYS.

NPETERS PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, n c

UNITED STATES PATENT OF -gen.

ERNST GESSNER, OF AUE, SAXONY.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR PRESSlNG CLOTH.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 206,718, dated August 6, 1878; application filed January 19, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNST GEsSNER, of Aue, in the Kingdom of Saxony, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Pressing and FinishingWoven Fabrics; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to improved machinery for hot-pressing and finishing woven, felted, and other fabrics, and made-up articles, such as collars and wristbands.

The invention is an improvement upon that general form of machine in which a hollow steam-heated press-box smooths and presses the cloth between its curved inner surface and the periphery of an adjacent cylinder.

The improvement consists, mainly, in combining, with the press-box and cylinder, a pressplate made of sheet metal, attached upon one side to a press-box, and passing nearly around the periphery of the cylinder in close proximity thereto, and attached at its other edge to a shaft made axially adjustable, to rollup and regulate the pressure or degree of construction of the said curved press-plate around the cylinder.

The improvements also consist in the combination, with said pressplate, of diametricallyopposed press-boxes, and the means for ad justing their pressure upon the cylinder, as hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section, and Fig. 2 a front elevation, of a machine having a single cylinder and two pressing-boxes, one on either side, and a sheet-metal pressingplate encircling the cylinder. Fig. 3 shows a detail. Fig. at is a vertical section, and Fig. 5 a front elevation, of amaehine with a single cylinder, a sheet-metal pressing-plate, as before, and two pressing-boxes, one above and one below the cylinder. Fig. 6 represents a vertical section of a machine with a single cylinder and pressing-box and a sheet-metal plate encircling the cylinder. Fig. 7 shows a crosssection of a machine with two cylinders on the same horizontal plane, with a double pressing-box between them, acting on both, and single pressing-boxes at either side, connected to the intermediate double pressingbox by sheet-iron plates encircling the cylinders, this arrangement being adapted for applying a repeated and extra powerful pressure on one oron both sides of the fabric, whiehthus receives a better luster; Fig. 8, the cross-section of asimilar machine, with the addition of pressing-boxes beneath the cylinders, this arrangement being intended for pressing two pieces of goods at once.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the different figures.

Arepresents standards supportin gbearin gs, in which the journals of the pressing cylinder or cylinders B are mounted. 0 are the pressing-boxes, which, at either side of the cylinder or cylinders, are carried by pairs of arms, D, movable on pivots (Z at their lower ends, and adjusted horizontally by means of screws cl. The boxes 0 are made to press by means of weights, springs, hydraulic or other power, acting directly or through levers or otherwise. In Figs. 1 and 2 the arms 1) are connected by strong springs I, whose tension is regulated by nutsf.

The pressing cylinder or cylinders 13 may either be of cast-iron and hollow, and either heated or cold, or they may be made solid and of pasteboard when the pressure is equal on both sides. Ifof metal, the surface is preferably covered with felt. The pressing-boxes are curved to correspond to the cylinder against which they are applied. They are here shown hollow and made of cast-iron, and are ordinarily heated by steam.

One of the boxes-that with which the fabric is last in contact-is cooled with cold water or otherwise, according to the effect required. For woolen fabrics it is found most suitable to heat the first box and cool the last of the series, so that the fabric is thus cooled under pressure. The boxes may also be heated by means of gas, petroleum, or other combustible. In order to prevent the boxes from bending outward at the center, they are trussed by rods 71, secured by nuts h in lugs 0, formed on the backs of the boxes, whereby sufficient tension is maintained to keep the boxes up to their work, If, Fig. 5, being a screw for regulating the tension to suit any degree of pressure.

To prevent the fabric being damaged during its passage between the pressing-cylinder B and the boxes 0, a thin sheet of metal, I, is applied between the latter and the fabric. This sheet of metal is attached on one side to the one box 0, and on the other to the tensionshaft L, acted on by a coiled spring, I, at each end, regulated by a worm and wheel, l 1 as shown in Fig. .l. The sheet of metal may also be kept in tension by any other means. In Fig. 6 a weighted lever, K, is caused to act 011 shaft L through a rod jointed to lever is, pawl k, and ratchet W. The machine shown in the latter figure has a single cylimler and pressing-box, and is intended for use when but slight pressure is required. In this case the shaft L is made of larger diameter, and also serves as a support for the cylinder B against the pressure of the box 0, the sheet metal I inclosing the cylinder and fabric.

The pressing-cylinder in all cases receives motion from the driving-shaft \V by gearwheels and pinions R R R R, and the secoml cylinder (shown in Figs. 7 and 8) is driven from the first one by gears of equal diameter or otherwise.

The driving-shaft \Y may also carry a brushcylinder, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5. The fabric to be pressed is first folded and placed upon the bottom board, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) and is then led upward, as indicated by the dotted lines a, over the guide j, brush-cylinder \V,.an'il cross-bars Y, over one of the pressingboxes 0, then around the cylinder B, thence over the guide-rollers j, down to the bottom table, on which it is again folded,as in Fig.4; or the fabric, on leaving guides j. may be wound, as shown in Fig. 1, on a roller, .r, by contact with a drum, T, which is driven by the wheel R on the cylinder ll. The length of the fabric may at same time be measured by suitable mechanism.

For pressing goods having selvages of different widths, there is a depression made at one end of the cylinder IE, and on the opposite face of the pressing-boxes 0, corresponding to the thickness of selvage, and the cylinder B is capable of being adjusted in the direction of the width of the cloth, the shaft of said cylinder and journals of the pressingboxes being made of sutiieient length for the purpose. The shaft of cylinder B has also a longitudinal keyway or groove at one end to receive a feather, by which it is enabled to be shifted in its bearings, and in the gears 1t and R (see Fig. 2,) and still receive rotary motion in all positions. The shaft at the opposite end of the cylinder simply slides in its bearings. The bearing Q is screw-threaded on its exterior to receive a nut, by which the position of the bearing is regulated through a toothed wheel, R attached to the nut, the wheel being driven by a pinion, R and winch-handle, (see Fig. 2;) or, instead of being screw-threaded, the hearing may have a rack upon it, and be shifted by means of a pinion.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. A cloth finishing and pressing machine consisting, essentially, ofa revolving cylinder, a press-box, and a curved sheet-metal pressplate, attached at one side to the press-box and passing partially around the cylinder, and attached at its other edge to an axially-adjustable shaft, all combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a single cylinder, of diametrically-opposed press-boxes and the curved sheet-metal press-plate, arranged as described, to continue the smooth passage of the cloth from one to the other of the pressboxes, as set forth.

3. The con1bination,with apairof cylinders,

of two oppositely-placed press-boxes and an 

